Quotes in Rhode Island Night Club Fire

Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, February 20, 2003

Reaction to the nightclub fire in West Warwick, R.I., that killed at least 39:

"It was calm at first, everyone thought it was part of the act. It happened so fast." _ John DiMeo, who was inside the club, The Station.

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"I started trying to douse it with a water bottle thinking I'm going to put it out. … The next thing you know the whole place is in flames. All the lights went out." _ Jack Russell, lead singer of Great White, performing at the club.

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"This place went up like a Fourth of July." _ Russell.

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"People were trying to help others and people were smashing out windows, and people were pulling on people and nobody cared how many cuts they got, nobody cared about the bruises or the burns. They just wanted out of the building." _ Cameraman Brian Butler, filming the concert for WPRI-TV.

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"I never knew a place could burn so fast. There was nothing they could do, it went up so fast." _ Robin Petrarca, 44, who was initially trampled as she fled the fire.

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"They were completely burned. They had pieces of flesh falling off them." _ Michelle Craine, waiting to hear about a missing friend.

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"Human nature being what it is, most people tried to go out the way they came in. They didn't use the other exits." _ West Warwick Fire Chief Charles Hall, saying most of the bodies were found inside the front exit.

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"Our hearts go out to all of them. Our hearts and prayers to all of the families that have been impacted by this. … There's no words to describe." _ Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri.